Readers Reply to:

Original Contribution: Ilse A. Hoppenbrouwers; Fan Liu; Yurii S. Aulchenko; George C. Ebers; Ben A. Oostra; Cornelia M. van Duijn; Rogier Q. Hintzen Maternal Transmission of Multiple Sclerosis in a Dutch Population Arch Neurol 2008; 65: 345-348 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

Readers Replies: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

Increased maternal relationships among MS patients may be due to greater female than male fertility

Steven R Brenner   (5 June 2008)

Increased maternal relationships among MS patients may be due to greater female than male fertility 5 June 2008
Steven R Brenner, MD Dept. Neurology St. Louis VA & Dept. Neurology & Psychiatry at St. Louis University Send reply to journal: Re: Increased maternal relationships among MS patients may be due to greater female than male fertility SBren20979{at}aol.com Steven R Brenner	I read with interest the article on maternal transmission of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in a Dutch population by Hoppenbrouwers.(1) The reason for the higher maternal relationship between MS patients may indicate a higher potential for parenthood or fertility in females than males with MS, resulting in fewer offspring in males than females. Over the extended generations in the genetically isolated population, this would result in a higher maternal than paternal relationship among the MS patients in the study. In women with multiple sclerosis, the rate of relapses declines during pregnancy,(2) which could result in less disability among women than men, making them more likely to bear children, and there could possibility be additional benefits on potential fertility from additional pregnancies. Vitamin D3 may have a greater protective effect in females than males against development of MS as well, since Vitamin D3 offered protection from autoimmune encephalomyelitis only in female mice, and not male or ovarietomized female mice.(3) If such a protective effect in females with MS from vitamin D is present in humans with MS, as is present in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, it could cause less disability and perhaps explain greater fertility in females than males with increased offspring in females. The tendency for mothers to be more closely related than fathers of MS patients in the isolated Dutch population may indicate a greater potential for childbearing among females than males with MS over extended generations. References: 1. Hoppenbrouwers I A, Liu F, Aulchenko Y S, et al. Maternal transmission of multiple sclerosis in a Dutch Population. Arch Neurol.2008;65:345-348 2. Confavreux C, Hutchinson M, Hours MM, Cortinovis-Tourniaire P, Moreau T. Rate of pregnancy-related relapse in multiple sclerosis. Pregnancy in Multiple Sclerosis Group. N Engl J Med.1998;339:285-291. 3. Spach KM, Hayes C, Vitamin D3 confers protection from autoimmune encephalomyelitis only in female mice. J Immunol.2005;175:4119-4126. No relevant financial interests.